India's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued new guidelines allowing X entry visa-holders (intra-company transfer spouses) to change their status to employment visas without leaving India. Previously, if the X visa spouse of an intra-company transferee in India found employment, he or she was mandated to leave India and re-enter with the new visa before beginning authorized employment.

In order to qualify for the new change of status process, the following guidelines must be met:

The applicant must be highly skilled, engaged or appointed by the India entity on a contract or employment basis.

The applicant must be paid a minimum annual salary of $25,000 (USD) (ethnic cooks, language teachers other than English language teachers, translators, and diplomatic staff are exempt from the salary requirement.)

The applicant must meet all other employment visa conditions as determined by current immigration regulations.

The MHA must give prior approval for the change of status, after obtaining a report from the Foreigners (Regional) Registration Office [F(R)RO] in the applicant's region of residence in India

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